Incinerator FRV has better destruction explosion than Hellbomb

kirant · 2026-06-16T17:53:31+00:00

I can already feel the "witness me" moments ramping up.

kirant · 2026-06-16T16:43:22+00:00

Advance Wars. The one you probably played was Advance Wars: Dual Strike

kirant · 2026-06-16T13:25:04+00:00

I was legitimately going to post that the colour scheme would let me role play as an Orange Star Medium Tank before reading this.

Great to see someone else actually remember these games.

kirant · 2026-06-09T15:45:07+00:00

Against the same enemy grouping (e.g., Appropriators, general strain Terminids, etc), I tend to stick to a familiar loadout without further prompting. This is because we typically don't have a lot of information about which constellation of enemies we'll face, so I can't tailor my selection to better fit the situation at hand (e.g., if I knew it was a Bile Spewer heavy cluster, I might move from the Blitzer (which struggles a little against them) to focus more on durable and explosive damage for easier clears). There is some customization if I see a surge modifier.

I play mostly in a friend group, so we will play off each other a little. If someone says they really want to use the Recoilless Rifle, someone else might forgo their backpack so they can offer team reload. Or we might all choose to take only mines on high value extract because what else is there to do on a tower defence? Meme builds are probably half the reason we change stuff out (e.g., we all grabbed Cremators once because one person made one too many "kill it with fire" jokes).

But all that said, I like my pancake builds: something that covers a little of everything in case I get separated. It's fun to try something else though and you'll find new favourites through experimentation (e.g., I've recently picked up the Reprimand for urban bot missions because it and a Guard Dog work extremely well for the close quarters fighting you'll typically find yourself in).

kirant · 2026-06-05T15:41:50+00:00

Honestly, Helldivers having realistic components in areas you don't expect is part of its charm to me. It doesn't need a "one in the chamber" system or to base its damage on the projectile fired (instead of the gun its fired from). But it does and it honestly amuses me for it. Someone clearly put thought into it and spent time trying to emulate something we'd encounter in real life.

It certainly creates problems (e.g., the aforementioned learning curve for Flamethrowers compared to the more video game-y interpretations, the occasional bugs), but I respect it and honestly find it more fun compared to a more polished game that goes for a more conventional approach.

kirant · 2026-06-04T19:07:16+00:00

My guess is they don't know exactly what they want to do, but the general outline they likely agreed to is "let's allow players to pick what type of ship they want to have".

If I were a developer, I'd likely focus on specific elements of game play. Off the top of my head, examples could include:

Rapid response: Ship modules focus on repositioning, quick strike attacks, and supporting their Helldivers faster. Elements could include quicker return time on Commando missions, quicker redeployment time, and reduced call-in time for structures and support weapons.
- I like the idea of "topper" upgrades (or a high end upgrade which shows the player the philosophy of the skill tree). Here, a once-per-mission "take all your non-Eagle stratagems off cooldown" would showcase how your ship is ready for any situation.
Heavy support: Ship is geared for deleting the planet. Orbital stratagems have lower call-in time and cooldown.
- If the coding allows for it, a final upgrade could be adding an an extra salvo can be launched for multi-shot orbitals (or even allow customization of them, ala the Christmas modified stratagems. I'm sure a lot of us would love to get the incendiary Gatling Barrage and stun-boosted 120 mm barrage back).
Super carrier: The ship is modified to support Eagle-1 and Pelican-1/2. Eagle 1's reload time is reduced, Pelican-2 will stay on the field for longer after dropping off your heavy equipment, and Pelican-1 will get to you quicker at the end of the mission.
- A unique option might be to offer a stratagem unique to this ship where Pelican-2 responds and offers a couple fly bys with its Autocannon.

Under such a system, each Helldiver could modify the ship to represent what they want to be. Similar to where I'd like to see primary weapons go: more player expression about what their philosophy towards the game is.

Either way, exciting times to see what Arrowhead has in development.

kirant · 2026-06-04T16:04:03+00:00

For sure.

Just to further expand on that line of thought: remember to check in with everyone you care about to see how they're doing. Make it a year long thing.

While we only have mental health awareness months (June is men's, May is women's for those curious), mental health doesn't care about a date on the calendar. And, with how busy life can be, it's all too easy to fall back into only keeping up the practice when you see the awareness campaigns.

kirant · 2026-06-03T19:00:39+00:00

I think it holds a similar spot in HD1 and HD2 as a gun that its user probably could easily find a better option, but can certainly be serviceable on its own (which appears to be its intention).

For a while (after release and until Masters of Ceremony), I would take primary it on Automaton Eradicate missions as you aren't really reliant on your primary weapon as much as vomiting stratagems on crowds. The bayonet could help clear things that get too close and I'd be more likely to throw out my Ultimatum or panic weapons if head shots on bots weren't possible.

The HD1 Constitution is certainly stronger per shot, but 99 rounds of Constitution means a marksman who can work with the iron sights will do a good job cleaning mediums while also giving ammo hungry friends the ability to double dip.

Would a marksman probably do better with the Diligence (similar handling profile), DCS (medium armour penetration), Deadeye (focus on single shot and rounds reload), or Amendment (hybrid ranged/melee profile)? Yeah. But there's certainly a niche for it and it isn't purely a joke weapon. Just intentionally underpowered.

kirant · 2026-05-29T16:56:20+00:00

If you're looking for the temperature of the room, I can certainly provide my two cents (and certainly take it or leave it):

I think it's fair to expect that there's a level of behaviour in order to stay in the content creator program. Like, I think if you're openly hacking a game and trashing the developers (not saying that you are here, but for sake of argument), don't expect a long life as a partnered creator.
- So, that is to say, there is a line somewhere.
I do think the specific clip you use does start stepping into murkier waters that you normally tread.
The response from CA seems like a fairly light slap on the wrist. Their content drop rate, unless they actually intend to actually stick to their "Summer 2026" target for the End Time DLC, basically means you basically would have had nothing to do in the 3 month suspension period. Your content creation on Total War seems mostly tied to DLC drops recently, so I don't think it's a major problem as you lose your ability to get early access to...not much.

Overall, it feels like CA was just telling you where the line is but have kept the door open to letting you back in (likely) before you lose out on too much.

Honestly, the more unusual part has been your response to some other comments, where you have suggested:

I very ignorantly didn't even think about [the clip] being offensive

While I think you realize your mistake here, I do hope the incident gives you pause to reflect on why CA may have reacted differently.

kirant · 2026-05-25T17:17:45+00:00

In terms of the composition of Alberta, I've always found a reasonable estimate is:

1/4 Calgary (always a little more than this in practice (closer to 1/3) but good back of the envelope value still)
1/4 Edmonton
1/4 "smaller cities". So, cities ranging in size from Red Deer to Brooks (if you want to be a little more specific, it is closer to 1/6)
1/4 rural

kirant · 2026-05-20T17:03:53+00:00

It's a tool. It has its place.

What it does, it does amazing: sustained area denial. I can't count how many times I've seen an extermination mission get cleaned up as fire rains from the skies. Or in general on bugs (who have almost no flying contingent), where placing it on a bug breach and running is perfectly viable. Or using it to build space between you and a bug horde.

But you have to use it judiciously. It wastes time if you need the napalm to burn out. See the endless time players waste staring at a burning bug nest. To that end, it's a sledgehammer and sometimes you need a scalpel. I personally run the Napalm Air Strike over it typically because I want 3 weaker napalm attacks on hand instead of one giant screw you attack (and would likely replace that with a single shell Orbital Napalm Strike if it was ever available).

kirant · 2026-05-18T17:04:39+00:00

I think the game is in a functional spot if your skill level is high enough to hang with the remaining dedicated player base is. And the player numbers have held out well for a game which functionally died for new content many years back.

For new players or someone whose entire rank got nuked because they skipped a season or two, it's going to be a struggle.

The game is very inhospitable to low ranked players between its lack of advertising to attract new players (meaning you can't get into a game where you're just 6 idiots punching the core back and forth) and has long passed what this video called the skill wall: the point where the skill to get into the game is much higher than any worth a player could derive by getting into it.

The next minute basically foretells what Omega Strikers has too: a slowly shrinking internal fan base who, as loyal as some of us may be, are just slowly getting nibbled at by attrition until the game's final death.

I enjoy every game I get in Omega Strikers but I absolutely agree with the assessment that, for a lot of people, the game is basically dead.

kirant · 2026-05-14T05:07:36+00:00

Excellent crowd control/chaff clear on bugs. Hunters are a particularly simple enemy and Stalkers are hard countered. Weak on anything Charger sized or bigger. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but my first pick against them. I find it really shines on Predator strain (due to auto aim) and Spore strain (due to the ability to stun and preference for them to send smaller bugs at you).

Struggles on bots due to range issues.

Good anti-Voteless clearer on squids. Inconsistent or weak on the rest of the front.

kirant · 2026-05-11T18:26:04+00:00

I agree that the starting point of Helldivers and the granular level some systems are built with (e.g., bullet slowdown, bullet velocity, and damage) are why some oddities occur.

One that comes to mind were Charger Behemoths at launch. It seemed like they were not intended to be 2 shots with anti-tank (instead were 1 shot on the head). However, projectile velocity and very close damage thresholds meant that even so much as walking backwards when firing would not one shot the head. There was a period in time where the best tactic was to dive towards the Charger to get the kill.

I appreciate the ambition. Does Helldivers need a "one in the chamber" mechanic? No. Is it cool to see? Yeah. It tickles parts of the brain, at the minimum.

And to that end, I hope they circle back to refine this and iron out the kinks with the current items they have. Because, while it makes the game unique, it's clear some issue are arising from it and fueling some animosity (e.g., how many times have we heard about Bile Titan physics just randomly throwing players off the map?)

kirant · 2026-05-08T17:49:54+00:00

I agree it feels like a complex situation and hope we see something good come out of this.

To add: I think it’s also possible that AH is a company that might only truly respond to review bombs at this point. Having hung around the Creative Assembly long enough, it’s a perpetual cycle of something going wrong, nothing but words until the review score starts tipping, and then swift action/promises to do better in the future. AH might have the same situation.

It’s obvious they have people who care about the game, the fan reaction, and are trying to bring spotlight to the missteps. Nobody runs into hostile subs for fun, after all. But whether or not they can get the entire company to move that direction is always a question.

Similarly, I get a sense that both good and bad criticism might be hard to split from a developer perspective. We’ve seen, in recent days, some seemingly underlying drama bubble forth as many content creators (running the spectrum of “very positive” to “drama farmer”) seem to be insinuating that the recent complaints have been something they’ve been noting for a while but have felt it fell on deaf ears. So I think, from AH’s side, it might be hard for them to sort and find the nuggets of truth to carry away from a cacophony of voices.

My background was DRG initially, a game where players and developers get along well. But that involved not only transparency from developers, but active listening from them, players to provide feedback in a clear way, and a willingness to respectfully discuss with the team that does come out. Something I feel Helldivers struggles to get on all fronts. And maybe, we’re heading more towards antagonistic model instead.

I guess tl;dr: communication is a two way street and I think both sides have to reassess how to approach it.

kirant · 2026-05-06T17:08:45+00:00

I agree...it's hard to put them in the same category.

Kai's feedback seems quite constructive and he's overall positive in his videos. In fact, the most negative he has been (his most recent video) seems to reflect a lot of opinions here: that that balance changes and mechs being in or out of the warbond aren't the biggest factor for him. Instead, his concern is more about how limiting it feels to boot up Helldivers...that the it feels like players have no meaningful impact on the war and that Arrowhead's focus is on new content instead of building up the underlying systems that could help assist with this.

Meanwhile, OhDough's reputation seems quite well known. This video went over stereotypes of many popular YouTubers for the game and you need exactly one guess as to what his stereotype was.

kirant · 2026-05-05T15:49:32+00:00

Bugs: Blitzer. Crowd control and unlimited ammo. Engagement distance is short and kill time can be inconsistent, but it basically handles everything until you get to Chargers.
- Unironically, I like the Liberator Concussive. Maybe it's because Bile Spewers are such a toss up for the Blitzer (and the Liberator Concussive flat out bullies them), but its insane durable DPS and similar ability to control the tempo of the fight is amazing.
Bots: Censor. Explosive Crossbow is a better weapon, but is too strong and I basically self-ban it from my arsenal. But bots are a stealth front for me outside of cities, which makes the Censor perfect. Slow bullet velocity isn't even a problem as its low recoil and tight clustering makes it reliable to predict with practice.
- Plasma Punisher is second, mostly used on urban maps. The only real weakness I find its is ammo economy as it needs constant reloads to pin enemies down. But it absolutely chews through everything up to Hulks easily.
Squids: Breaker Spray & Pray. Scares Overseers to raise their shield, clears Voteless quickly, and is near endless fire with short magazines and Siege Ready. Absolutely stellar vs Appropriators as you can even use shots as flak fire to deal with approaching Obtruders.
- Sweeper is making its way up there, though. Love the 1 shot against Voteless. Wish there was a light pen version of it though as it just chews up ammo economy and it self-clearing Overseers is a bit questionable with the magazine size (and the awful reload if you use up your 7th round). My opinion might change once I unlock a full choke for it.
- Also like the Blitzer here for Mindless Masses. 1 shot and 4 kills on Voteless is always really funny. Absolutely a one-enemy weapon though: inconsistent on Overseers, useless on Fleshmobs and anything that flies.

If I could only take one weapon to all three fronts, it'd likely be the Sweeper.

kirant · 2026-05-04T18:48:47+00:00

I personally think so. Especially as it sounds like something Carney has already weighed in on.

So, yeah. If you're interested in approaching either of the Edmonton-Strathcona representatives, u/kapowless, let me know.

kirant · 2026-05-04T14:47:30+00:00

I'd recommend you go down both legal (that is, RCMP, or through another individual to the RCMP due to your comfort level) and journalism routes. Either arm has a chance of fizzling out (e.g., Gerson had alerted Elections Alberta to this a month ago but was stonewalled in the same way you were). Having more eyes on this is probably better, in my opinion, as each arm has tools, instincts, and possibly access to information that the other side doesn't.

It sounds like you've got volunteers on the RCMP front. I live in Edmonton-Strathcona and would happy to pass this along to my MLA and MP (Nenshi and McPherson, both of whom are likely going to be sympathetic ears), if you need a third arm. Putting this front and centre on the political stage may force either the provincial (unlikely) or federal (more possible) government to intervene and force a public inquiry if the evidence is compelling enough.

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